Dr. Isatou Touray and Ms. Amie Bojang-Sissoho are, respectively, the Executive Director and Program Coordinator for the Gambia Committee for Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP), and have for many years been active in the promotion of gender equality, rights of women and children, particularly in the fight against female genital mutilation and other discriminatory practices. In May 2010, the Presidency set up a commission of investigation into the allegation that GAMCOTRAP had been mis-managing donor funds from an organization called Yolocamba Solidaridad.

While various media have published news of an appeals court’s ruling of four years in prison and 74 lashes for human rights activist Shiva Nazar Ahari, her lawyer, Mohammad Sharif has not yet been served with the ruling. ”I have not yet been officially served with the verdict, and unfortunately, the news was publicized in the media without my knowledge. I learned about the ruling through the press, too,” he said.

The International Solidarity Network, Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) and the Violence is Not our Culture Campaign (VNC), continue to call for the fair trial of two women human rights defenders, WLUML board member, Dr. Isatou Touray, and Ms. Amie Bojang-Sissoho. Coalition for Human Rights in the Gambia Press Release, 24 November 2010:State Prosecution Officer Sainey Joof told the court that the case against GAMCOTRAP is not a Civil case but it is the State that has brought in the case against the two Senior Officers of the Organisation. The court hearing of the trial of Dr. Isatou Touray, the Executive Director and Amie Bojang- Sissoho, Programme Coordinator for the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP) failed to proceed yesterday Monday November 22nd 2010 at the Banjul Magistrates Court before Magistrate Emmanuel Nkea. The prosecution applied for an adjournment of the hearing because their witnesses were not present.

SKSW and WLUML are still gravely concerned about the fate of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. On 4 August, Branch 9 of the Supreme Court in Iran began a review of Mohammadi Ashtiani's sentence and agreed to consider a judicial review of the case, submitted by her lawyer. The Supreme Court is expected to either accept or reject the judicial review on or around 15 August. The review appears aimed solely at reducing international pressure on the authorities, by deferring a decision on the method of execution and the stoning sentence remains in place.

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has warned that the international community’s inaction is 'a green light for hanging protesters'. An Iranian protestor, prosecuted in a post-Ashura trials on charges of Moharebeh, or “enmity against God”, is in danger of imminent execution, the Campaign has said in a recent press release. The Judiciary issued its verdict based on a fatwa by Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi. Women Living Under Muslim Laws joins other transnational civil society groups and organizations in calling for an immediate halt to the executions. Please register your protest by calling the office of the Grand Ayatollah.

Mukhtar Mai's counsel, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, had moved an application for adjournment, which was considered the best course of action in the current circumstances. With no right to a further appeal, Mai's rapists will stay in jail. However, the threat to the safety of Mukhtar Mai, and her family, from those implicated in the interference in her case remains.